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One of the most successful shoot 'em up video game franchises is an indie series, and it's one that got its start by releasing at a fan convention. Touhou Project takes the world of shoot 'em ups and completely upends it, replacing the typical spaceships and fighter planes with magical girls straight out of a moe anime. Starting back in 1997, the franchise is still going strong 25 years later.
"Shmups" are just one piece of the Touhou puzzle, however, with the franchise taking on a life of its own beyond the main games through its fanbase. Doujin manga, internet memes, and especially fan-made music are some of the greatest results of the magical shrine maiden games. With the series celebrating a big anniversary, here's a look at how far Touhou Project has come.
What Is Touhou Project?
Touhou Project, or simply Touhou in some circles is the creative product of the company Team Shanghai Alice. This production company is made up solely of Jun'ya Ota, AKA Zun. Wanting to make music for video games but without a game to put his music in, Zun self-developed an idea for a game that he had for a while. He was hugely influenced by his favorite titles like Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. and Capcom's Street Fighter franchise, lending his games their eclectic nature. Wanting to make an arcade-style shoot 'em up, Zun's game would switch out the genre's usual player-controlled vehicle for a miko, or Japanese shrine maiden.
In 1997, Zun released his first game, Highly Responsive to Prayers, at the 52nd Comiket. This is a Japanese convention dedicated to doujin and fan works. Compatible with NEC PC-9800 computers, this and the other initial four games in the series were different from later entries, though they would still be of note for introducing gamers to Reimu Hakurei, the series' iconic shrine maiden. In 2002, Zun would release the first Windows entry for the series with Embodiment of Scarlet Devil. This officially put the series in the "bullet hell" subgenre of shmups, wherein players are bombarded by enemy ordinances (in this case, magical attacks) that they must expertly weave through and dodge.
Since then, the series has built itself up to boast over 30 titles. These include not only the bullet hell games but also variations on that formula such as the photography-based Shoot the Bullet and fighting games such as Immaterial and Missing Power. The latest game is the aptly titled 100th Black Market, which is being released later in August to commemorate both the series' 25th anniversary and the 100th Comiket. Though many fans will likely purchase the game when it releases on Steam, the actual video games are only part of what makes Touhou so special.
Touhou's Fandom Involves Fan-Art, Music, and Memes
Since it debuted at a doujin convention, it only makes sense that there are so many unofficial fan works celebrating Touhou Project. These include manga and fan art, a non-licensed anime pilot, fan games, and several memes. Part of this appeal stems from the characters in the series. Set in the supernatural world of Gensokyo, the almost entirely female cast of shrine maidens, witches, and goddesses in Touhou Project are known for their unique and playful designs. Thus, even if they're merely bosses in a single game, these characters have gone on to have manga and theme song remixes made for them by fans.
Given that the main games are shoot 'em ups, there isn't much in the way of a deep story or character development in the series. Thus, much of what fans associate with the cast has come almost entirely from works made by the fans themselves. Zun himself is fine with these works, as he doesn't want the series to become officially licensed. Despite its niche genre and lack of mainstream push, Touhou Project has defied all manner of odds to receive the amount of attention that it has developed over the past two decades. The Guinness Book of World Records called it the "most prolific fan-based shooter series ever." With a new game on the horizon and legions of fans who can't get enough of the world of Gensokyo, the future looks bright for Touhou Project, the most magical shoot 'em up out there.